This invention relates generally to aerial and space vehicles, and relates with particularity to supersonic aircraft and to space shuttles having a reduced takeoff and landing speed, an improved safety during takeoff and landing operations, and a reduced supersonic impact wave resistance. One of the major problems associated with the design of modern fast aircraft is to create means guaranteeing repeated and safe takeoffs and alightings of said aircraft. This relates with particularity to spacecraft which are landing with enormous high speeds. Also the tailless aircraft configuration -- favourable for other flight situations -- has a disadvantageous influence on the landing operation because it does not allow usage of conventional landing flaps with large downward inclination angles for maximum lift and because the manoeuvrability of the landing aircraft is impaired.
A method of improving the landing operation of spacecraft and of fast aircraft, as contemplated by the present invention, involves a horizontal tail consisting of two tail halves, of which each half is swinging around a substantially vertical axis positioned inside of the fuselage from a forward high-speed flight position to a rearward low-speed flight position and vice versa. The forward swung horizontal tail halves are placed in planes lying above the planes of the wings and are so much moved forward that the leading edges of the horizontal tail halves are positioned in front of the trailing edges of the wings. This gives a heat-protection for the sharp leading edges of said horizontal tail halves by the wing planes during the entering operation of the spacecraft into the atmosphere, and a reduced supersonic impact wave resistance of the staggered wings and horizontal tail halves during the supersonic flight in the atmosphere on the basis of the area rule, with the corresponding saving of propulsion energy.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new horizontal swingtail for fast flying aircraft to generally reduce the takeoff speeds and the landing speeds.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new horizontal swingtail for fast flying aircraft to improve the manoeuvrability during low flight speeds.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new horizontal swingtail for fast flying aircraft having originally the tailless configuration to enable usage of landing flaps with large downward inclination angles for maximum lift.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new horizontal swingtail for fast flying aircraft to improve the takeoff safety and the landing safety and to save human lifes during these critical flight operations.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new horizontal swingtail for fast flying aircraft to reduce the air resistance during supersonic flight speeds and thus save propulsion energy.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new horizontal swingtail for spacecraft.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new horizontal swingtail for supersonic aircraft.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new horizontal swingtail for fast flying aircraft enabling the reduction of the overlong takeoff and landing runways.
According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects are attained by providing, in a spacecraft being capable for repeated space missions as a space shuttle or in a supersonic aircraft having a fuselage with one or more fixed vertical tails on its aft end, a pair of wings, rocket engines positioned in the aft end of said fuselage for the spacecraft or jet engines positioned on the bottom side of said pair of wings for the supersonic aircraft, a horizontal tail consisting of two halves and having a variable geometry with swinging movements of said tail halves in outside arcs rearwards and forwards again. The horizontal tail halves of the present invention are designed to be swung into a forward position for high-speed flight and located above the planes of the wings with leading edges positioned in front of the trailing edges of the wings For low-speed flight the tail halves are swung rearwards and compose in the aft position a commonly operating horizontal tail. Suitable means are provided to control the swinging movements and the angles of incidence of the horizontal tail halves.
Considering the weight of the swingtail, it will be compensated by the weight drop of the lighter undercarriage and chassis of the spacecraft or aircraft due to the reduced landing speed; whilst on the credit side remain:
an improved safety, PA1 smaller runway dimensions, enabling landings of spacecraft on conventional runways, and PA1 fuel savings in supersonic aircraft.